Knee pad with select-a-size holding strap

ABSTRACT

A knee pad made from a sandwich of materials having an enlarged knee covering portion with a single holding strap extending from one side of the enlarged knee covering portion that wraps around a wearer&#39;s leg and is secured to a Velcro area mounted on a front surface of the knee covering portion of the knee pad. The single holding strap may be selectively sized, by cutting one of a number of cross-stitched sections formed at an outer end thereof, which sections may have indicia thereon, so as to be indicate where to cut so as to custom fit the knee pad over the knee of the wearer. The cross-stitching may be single or doubled to aid in preventing separation of the sandwich of materials when cut.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of pending U.S. Design application Ser. No. 29/588,400, filed on Dec. 20, 2016, entitled KNEEPAD WITH A SELECT-A-SIZE HOLDING STRAP.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

This invention generally relates to knee pads and, more particularly, to a knee pad having a single holding strap that may be wrapped directly around a wearer's leg, or over pants being worn by the wearer, and is secured in place over the knee, for protection. The single holding strap of the present invention may be selectively sized so as to custom fit the knee pad comfortably over the knee of the wearer.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Many types of knee pads for protecting the knees of a wearer when the wearer wishes to protect their knees when gardening, setting brick or tiles, or other situations, are known. These known knee pads take many forms and usually include several straps, buckles and the like to hold them in place on the wearer's knees. U.S. design Pat. No. D464,177 discloses a knee pad having an enlarged knee cover with a single holding strap that wraps around the leg of a user and is secured to the front of the knee cover. Normally, knee pads come in various sizes, such as small, medium and large, so as to be able to fit over the different size legs and knees of users. However, because of the large variation in the size of the legs and knees of potential users, the known knee pads do not always fit comfortably or tightly enough on all users. Thus, many individuals get exasperated and do not use the known knee pads, or have to somehow jury rig their knee pads to fit better, or end up purchasing numerous types of knee pads in an effort to find one that has a better fit. Consequently, the known knee pads are not able to offer solutions to the known problems and lack the versatility to satisfy the consuming public.

Therefore, there exists a need in the art for knee pads which allow a user to custom fit the knee pad around the user's legs and knees. The knee pads of the present invention includes a single holding strap having a plurality of cross-stitched areas near the outer end thereof, which areas may be marked with indicia to indicate where a selective portion may be cut off, so as to easily size or custom fit the knee pad to the user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved knee pad. It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide an improved knee pad having a single holding strap. It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved knee pad with an enlarged knee protecting area having a single wrap around holding strap with a plurality of cross-stitched sections at the outer end of the strap. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved knee pad having a single wrap around holding strap with a plurality of cross-stitched sections at the outer end of the strap having indicia marked thereon to show where the strap may be cut to custom fit the knee pad to a wearer. It is yet a still further object of the present invention to provide an improved knee pad with an enlarged knee protecting area having a single wrap around holding strap made from a sandwich of materials, with a plurality of cross-stitched sections having indicia marked thereon, to show where the strap may be cut to custom fit the knee pad on a wearer; the cross-stitching may be doubled to further prevent the sandwich of materials from which the strap is made from separating after being cut.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided an improved knee pad with an enlarged knee protecting area composed of a sandwich of materials having a single wrap around holding strap, extending from one side of the enlarged knee protecting area, and having a plurality of cross-stitched sections at an outer end thereof. Indicia may be marked on the strap adjacent the cross-stitching to show where the strap may be cut to custom fit the knee pad on a wearer; the cross stitching prevents the sandwich of materials from which the knee pad from separating after being cut. The cross stitching may be doubled to aid in preventing the sandwich of materials from which the knee pad is made from separating after being cut.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The objects and features of the present invention, which are believed to be novel, are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a knee pad of the present invention shown wrapped around the left leg and secured on the left knee of a user;

FIG. 2 is a front plan view of the knee pad of FIG. 1, in the open position;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial view of the outer end of the single holding strap of the present invention showing cross-stitched marked off sections with indicia thereon;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial perspective view of the outer end of the single holding strap shown in FIG. 3, with a pair of scissors or shears shown in broken line in a position to cut off the unused end portion of the holding strap to custom fit the knee pad to a user; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial perspective view of the outer end of the single holding strap shown in FIG. 4, after the unused end portion of the holding strap has been cut off, showing a cross-section of the sandwich of materials forming the strap and the unused portion spaced from the outer end.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention. Various modifications, however, will remain readily apparent to those skilled in the art, since the generic principles of the present invention have been defined herein specifically to provide for an improved knee pad with a select-a-size or adjustable length, single holding strap that allows the knee pad to be custom fit to a user.

The present invention will be described as being used on one knee of a user, however, in many instanced knee pads are worn on both knees of a user and each such knee pad used may be custom fit to a right or left knee of a user, as needed. Turning now to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a knee pad 10, of the present invention having a body with an enlarged, upside down U-shaped front knee contact, cover or protector portion 12, mounted over a knee of a user (shown in phantom line) with a single holding strap 14, extending from one side of the cover portion 12, near a lower, flattened end 16 thereof; wrapped around a leg of the user and held in place by securing elements or means 18, 20 such as Velcro or the like, mounted on the front surface of the knee contact portion (see FIG. 2), and the rear surface of the holding strap 14 at the outer end 21 thereof. Although shown extending from the right side, it is to be understood that the single holding strap 14 may extend from either side of the cover portion 12, near the lower, flattened end 16 thereof.

The enlarged front knee cover 12 is preferably concave on the inner surface with extra padding thereon (not shown) and convex on the outer surface, to more comfortably and securely fit over the knee of the user.

As is best shown in the cross sectional view of FIG. 5, the knee pad 10 is preferably made from a sandwich of materials, consisting of a tougher or harder outer surface 22, such as leather, plastic or the like; a flexible inner layer 24, such as neoprene, rubber or the like; and extra padding (not shown) for contacting, covering or protecting the knee in the knee cover 12. Additionally, the rear surface of the outer end 21 of the strap 14 includes the Velcro securing element 20. The materials in the knee pad are preferably glued or held together by an adhesive, or the like.

The securing element 18 is adhered to the front or outer surface 22 of the cover portion 12, near the flattened lower end 16 thereof, by an adhesive, or the like, while the upper surface of the outer end is either marked with or covered by strip of material 18 having a series of marked off portions or sections 26, delineated by cross-stitching 28, which may be single, or doubled as shown, passing through the sandwich of materials. The number and size of the cross-stitched sections may vary depending on the size of the overall knee pad, and to whom or where it is sold or marketed.

Indicia 30, such as words or symbols, may be marked in the sections 26 on the outer end of the strap 14 adjacent to or between the cross-stitching 28. For example: words such as CUT HERE; CUT TO SIZE, or other words or foreign equivalents of English words may be used; or symbols, such as scissors, a cutting device, or the like may be used. This indicia indicates or shows where the strap may be selectively cut; for example: by a pair of scissors or shears 32, as shown in broken line in FIG. 4, to custom fit the knee pad on a wearer. As stated above, the cross-stitching 28 may be single or doubled, as shown in the drawings. Doubled cross-stitching includes parallel stitching that further ensures that the sandwich of materials from which the knee pad is made will be prevented from separating after being cut. The actual cut may be made in any portion of a selected section between the cross-stitching so as to comfortably fit the knee pad to the user.

It, therefore, can be seen that the present invention provides an improved knee pad that includes a single holding strap that may be wrapped around a user's leg and then cut off at a selected marked portions so as to be custom fit over the knee of a user.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the just-described preferred embodiment may be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than is specifically described herein. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A knee pad, comprising: a body having a front surface and a rear surface; the body having an enlarged knee covering portion and a single holding strap extending from one side of the enlarged knee covering portion; the body and holding strap being formed from a sandwich of materials having a hardened front surface, a resilient portion and Velcro securing material secured to the hardened front surface on the enlarged knee covering portion and a rear surface of the resilient element, on the outer end of the holding strap, away from the enlarged knee covering material; and a plurality of marked off elements formed by cross-stitching on the hardened front surface, adjacent the outer end of the holding strap.
 2. The knee pad of claim 1, further including indicia in the marked off elements on the hardened front surface indicating where a selected one of the marked off element may be cut to custom fit the knee pad to a user.
 3. The knee pad of claim 3, wherein the cross-stitching extends through the sandwich of materials from the hardened front surface, through the resilient portion and the Velcro securing material on the rear surface.
 4. The knee pad of claim 3 wherein each of the cross-stitching includes a second, substantially parallel cross-stitching that aids in preventing the sandwich of materials from which the strap is made from separating after being cut.
 5. A knee pad, comprising: a body having a front surface and a rear surface; the body having an enlarged knee covering portion and a single holding strap extending from one side of the enlarged knee covering portion, adjacent a lower end thereof; the body and holding strap being formed from a sandwich of materials having a hardened front surface, a resilient portion and Velcro securing elements secured to the hardened front surface on the enlarged knee covering portion and a rear surface of the resilient element, at an outer end of the holding strap, away from the enlarged knee covering material; a plurality of cross-stitched elements formed on the hardened front surface, adjacent the outer end of the holding strap, with the cross-stitching extending through the sandwich of materials from the hardened front surface, through the resilient portion and the Velcro securing element on the rear surface of the resilient element, at the outer end of the holding strap; and indicia marked on the hardened front surface in the plurality of cross-stitched elements showing where a selected one of the plurality of cross-stitched elements may be cut to custom fit the knee pad to a user.
 6. The knee pad of claim 5, wherein each of the cross-stitched elements includes a second, substantially parallel cross-stitching that aids in preventing the sandwich of materials from which the strap is made from separating after being cut.
 7. A knee pad, comprising: a body having a front surface and a rear surface; the body having an enlarged knee covering portion and a single holding strap extending from one side of the enlarged knee covering portion, adjacent a lower end thereof; the body and holding strap being formed from a sandwich of materials having a hardened front surface, a resilient portion and Velcro securing elements secured to the hardened front surface on the enlarged knee covering portion and a rear surface of the resilient element, on an outer end of the holding strap, away from the enlarged knee covering material; a plurality of double cross-stitched elements formed on the hardened front surface, adjacent the outer end of the holding strap, and extending through the sandwich of materials from the hardened front surface, through the resilient portion and the Velcro securing material; and indicia marked on the hardened front surface in the double cross-stitched elements to indicate where the a selected one of the plurality of double cross-stitched elements may be cut to custom fit the knee pad to a user. 